Evening Star Newspaper, July 14, 1930, Page 4

PUBLICITY ‘RACKET HITS BUSINESS MEN Millions Reported Spent for Useless Write-ups and Biographies. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, July 14.—Under the | heading “big business falls for vanity appeal” the National Better Business Bureau, Incorporated.” Teleased yester- day with the results of a long investi- gation of schemes by which impertant buginess men are muleted of money in | the belief that their biographies and photographs will be published in news- papers throughout the country when they figure in the news. The report shows that these schemes | are not supported by the newspapers or | Ppress associations, but are often a form of “racket” growing in use and con- stantly finding easier ter Business Bureau says that millions of dollars have been given to pseudo | press associations which have no established position with newspapers | for these “puffs’ which clutter up edi- tor's waste Baskets from coast to coast.” The expose follows: How Scheme Is Worked. “In the mistaken belief that they can buy their way. into the news col umns of reputable newspapers, busi- ness executives are spending more than & million dollars a year. A recent an- nouncement of the National Better Business Bureau, Inc, reveals that many of the Nation's leading execu- tives are supporting a scheme that preys exclusively on ‘big business.’ For a fee ranging from $100 to $1,000, depending on what the traffic will bear, some 20-odd firms styling themselves “press bureaus’ or press syndicates’ or ‘press associations’ offer to prepare and publish a short, but favorable biography, illustrated and with a photograph of the subject, for distribution, upward to approximately 1,000 newspspers throughout the country. “The solicitors represent that the newspapers will welcome the biogra- phies, but, based upon its survey of newspapers, the National Better Busi- ness Bureau, Inc., reports that the vast majority of the newspapers replying to the bureau’s inquiry promptly consign these unsolicited and urdesired biog: raphies to the waste basket. Some news- papers report that they retain some of | the ‘complimentary’ biographies, in the | belief that they are’ accurate as to dates and names and therefore useful for reference purpcses.” Some Deception Shown. Although some of these ‘write-up’ concerns do not misrepresent their | identity, others find it easier to get| subscriptions by permitting their clients | to believe that they represent one of the accredited press associations, such as the Associated Press, the United Press Association, the Central Press or the International News Service. These recognized agencies that furnish a wire service to the press exclusively do not nhandle executives for ‘write-ups.' ‘According _to complaints to _the bureau a number of business men have contributed for a biography service be- lieving that they were dealing with the A. P. the U.P. the C.P.20r the L.N.S. and have been much:chagrined to find out that these wire services never solicit nor accept money from individuals or corporations for biographical matter. When the needs of their service require biographical data they have ample facilities for obtaining it and forwarding it to_their subscribers. “One veteran newspaper editor re- ported o the bureau that he had seen the unsolicited: biographies from pseudo | ‘press associations’ come into the news- paper offices for 30 years and hadn't seen one used yet. Another stated that such material’ was ‘utterly worthless’ and their receipt ‘only serves to clutter up our mail and add to an already over- stuffed waste basket.' ‘I regard the idea as a “racket”,’ another edi‘or stat- ed and added, ‘it ic one of the easy ways of making a living. The business | man who allows himself to be mulcted %\‘; such a service is either vain or gul- le.’ One Firm Long Active. “A subscriber to a pseudo press or- ganization that has been in business for over 30 years and had published ap- proximately 10,000 biographies, reported | to the National Better Business Bureau | that he ‘gave them $250 for the reason | that I thought they were conpected | with the press ascociation of New York | City, and in view of my public position, | 1 thought it desirable to be friendly | with the press. They represented that they had numerous inquiries from pa- rs and periodicals at different times reference to prominent men and by referring inquiries to them much time might be saved.’ “A similar misunderstanding was re- ported by a prominent public utility of- ficlal whom we asked for information | Tegarding his dealings with one of the write-up organizations, he stated. ‘I Jook upon this association purely as a means for the newspaper men interested to obtain some income for their associa- tion and as rather a hold-up proposi- tion." “Another concern, which has been in business for 40 years and claims to have blished more than 11,000 biographies, Fas apparentiy found 1 prontavle upon occasion to publish biographies of prominent men unknown to the sub- jects for the ostensible purpose of con- vincing less prominent executives of the caliber of its clients. Recently, the THE EVEN IN LINE FOR NEVILLE'S POST ! &\ Top: Maj. Gens. Smedley Butler (left), ranking officer of the Marine Corps, and Logan Feland, veteran in Far East and Latin America fields. Lower: Brig. Gens. Ben Hebard Fuller (left), now acting commandant of the corps, and John Henry Russell, retiring high commissioner of Haiti. fice in the Federal Government was published along with a batch of others, but the official informed the bureau that such publication was unauthorized. Threats Are Made. “Instances have been reported to.the bureau indicating that some of the so- ' called associations have threatened to publish uncomplimentary biographies if the subject refused to subscribe for a favorable one. A prominent Govern- ment official now u'prm?'t'ug the United States abroad has itten to the bureau stating that seve years ago, following the occasion of, wife being présented at the Court' of St. James, he was deluged with offers to publish his photograph and biography, all of which he declined. When he re- fused, however, certain of the solicitors stated that they would go ahead with the biography and that it wouldn't be complimentary. “A member of the Better Business Bureau of New York recently reported the following experience to that or- ganization: Following the press ai nouncement of his en?fme:( he was waited upon at his club by several rep- Tesentatives of pseudo press associations who stated thay had a story about his divorce, which had occurred some few years ago. It was a lurld story, they reported, and could be silenced for sev- eral hundred dollars. The member paid the fee asked, but shortly thereafter he was waited upon by representatives of another so-colled press association. He then reported these blackmailing activi- ties to the bureau. “Another form of the ‘pufl’ or ‘glory’ sheet scheme is the publication of magazines containing _complimentary write-ups exclusively. Here the scheme is worked by rewriting some news items that appeared in the press about some prominent firm or executive and then | telephoning to the subject of the write- up to check its accuracy. These pub- lishers adopt a name similar to such legitimate publications as Nation's Busi- ness or System'Magazine. When the telephone call is made the subject be- lieves he is dealing with one of these reputable publications. The telephone | solicitor then urges his prospect to take additional coples of the issue in which the story will appear for filing and publicity purposes. Many prominent executives and corporations have been victimized by these fakirs. Pander to Swindlers. “A vicious feature of these publica- tions is that they also pander to the swindlers, particularly the vendors of fake stock. Thus a fraudulent security house is able to obtain a great quantity of reprints of a laudatory but falso re- port of the firm and its offering from what appears to be a legitimate maga- zine. Actually, these publications have no standing whatever. They are not even for sale to the public, but obtain all of their income by selling quantities of thelr irregularly published issues to those who are praised for a considera- | tion. “If the persons solicited for = biographical write-up cannot supply & photograph, the pseudo associations offer to have one taken without addi- tional cost. Whereupon & photographer appears, takes numerous photographs and later exerts every effort to have the subject purchase & quantity of high priced photographs. What appears to | biography of a man high in public of @be Foening Fiar AOVERTISENEN BMBH orfld REC il ¢ ? Monck’s Pharmacy—5505 Ga. Ave. be an amazing willingness on the part EIVED HERE of the photographer to co-operate, is, in reality, a business risk assumed by the photographer in the belief that he will make a profit by selling photographs. “Business executives who are solicited to pay for newspaper publicity are re- minded that reputable newspavers and news gathering agencies serving the press do not accept fees for the publica- tion of news or photographs and that any material that is not news finds its way promptly to the wastebasket. If an individual is prominent enough to warrant & newspaper giving his biog- raphy ot ‘photograph space in their files, the chances are that one of the accredited .press agencles will have sup- plied the data, as a regular feature of its seryice of its subscribers and without cost to the subject, or, if they haven't they can flash the necessary data over the wires promptly whenever there is any occasion for using it. “The Nationa' Better Business Bureau will willingly assist business executives to get facts regarding any urganization masquerading as a ‘press association’ that offers to publish their biography for & consideration.” GLIDERS TO ATTEMPT ATLANTIC TRIP AGAIN American Who Failed Going to Europe Will Make Flights in TItaly. By the Arsociated Press. NAPLES, July 14—The American glider experimenters, Lewis and Kear- ney, who failed in recent attempts at being towed across the Atlantic Ocean by the steamship Saturnia, arrived here today. The fiyers said they would attempt & transatlantic crossing again and would make flights In Italy. In a state- ment to the press they said: “We took off successfully from the Saturnia in the glider Claiborne Foster in midocean on the day before reach- ing the- Azores, but were forced down when our tow cord parted shortly after we left the water. The ship stopped to pick us up and the damaged glider was taken aboard. The weather was very unfavorable. “On the return trip, we will attempt to take off at Lisbon and try to make the entire crossing. NG WILSON TO HEAD JUNIOR COLLEGE New Chevy Chase School President Is Principal of Vernon Academy. Theodore Halbert Wilson, principal the Chevy Chase School and Junior Col- lege, it was announced today by the board of overseers of the local institu- tion. Mr. Wilson, who will assume his duties here immediately, succeeds the late Dr. Frederic Ernest Farrington, who died June 1 last, after having served as head of the Chevy Chase School and Junior College since 1917. The announcement today of Mr. Wilson's appointment was made on_behalf of the board of over- seers by Dr. Henry Suzzallo, president- | elect of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and a | member of the Chevy Chase board. At the same time, Dr. Suzzallo made it known that Mrs. Farrington, widow of the school's late president, will main- tain her professional connection with the institution. The new president of the Chevy Chase School and Junior College comes to Washington eminently fitted to be president of an institution devoted to the higher education of women, in the opinion of the board which elected him. Born in Middleton, Vt., he comes of a family of educational traditions. His father was professor at Yale, a brother now is professor in the Harvard School of Public Health, and a_younger sister heads an American school in Japan. Mr. Wilson was educated at Harvard where he received his master | of arts degree in 1908 and his master of education degree in 1928, He now has virtually completed his work for the de- gree of doctor of philosphy. Before his appointment as principal of St Johnsbury Academy. Mr. Wilson was professor at Olivet College and was its acting president for a year. Mean- while He was appointed by Gov. Weeks as chairman of the Vermont Survey Commission_on_Higher Institutions of Learning, In that position he made a comprehensive study of State educa- tional institutions. At St. Johnsbury, which has counted among its students ‘Calyin Coolidge and | Justice Stafford, Mr. Wilson increased the personnel and equipment and raised | the “institution’s educational standing. Recently he dedicated Fuller Hall there, the second unit of a $300,000 building project. Chevy Chase School and Junior Col- lege was founded in 1903. Under the direction of Dr. Farrington, himself a Harvard Man, it has developed a resi- dent department of 90 girls represent- ing ull sections of the country. The board of overseers includes, besides Dr. Suzzallo, Dr. Elmer E. Brown, chancellor of New York University; Dr. Lotus D. Coffman, president of the University of Minnesota; Dr. Edward C. Elliott, president of Purdue University; Dr. Frank Plerrepont Graves, State com- missioner of education in New York; Dr. Walter Jessup, president of. the University of Towa; Dr. Bruce R. Payne, president of George Peabody College for Teachers, and Dr. Mary E. Wooler, president of Mount Holyoke College. PRINCESS JULIANA RUMORED ENGAGED Betrothal to Sigouard of Sweden Expected—Prince Hendrik Ar- rives in Stockholm, By the Associated Pres: STOCKHOLM, Sweden, July 14.— Prince Hendrik of Holland arrived in Stockholm from Finland today, where he had a lunch-room engagement with &King Gustave. ‘The newspaper Tidningen says it is most likely that the angagement of Princess Jullana, Queen Wilhelmina's daughter and heiress, to Prince Sigavard will be announced in Stockholm on ‘Wednesday. None of the other newspapers men- tion the subject. Phone Omitted 40 Years. NEW YORK July 14 (#).—After the |1ate R. M. Smythe conducted his se- curitles business on vi without & telephone for 40 years, his successors in the business have installed one. NEWS DIRECTOR DEAD Charles Rieker Was With Colum- bus Dispatch for 26 Years. COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 14 Charles Rieker, 49, news director of the Columbus Evening Dispatch, died from complications resulting from an opera- tion, Rieker had been with the 1Dis- patch for the past 26 vear: Surviving are his_widow, Mrs. Alice | Rieker: & brother, Willlam J. Rieker, Fort Worth, Tex., and three sisters, Mrs. Joseph Shoemaker and Mrs. Ed- ward Grimm, both of Cincinnati, and Mrs. A. P. Mueller, Rutherford, N. J. @— | Porch Furniture | Enamel Diies i 50/ Bowrbll Gt hard, 1 ish. Many colors | ct from, | MEtro. 0151 BUTLER-FLYNN| ! 607-609 C St. j Phone for Color Card EISEMAN’S SEVENTH & F STS. Entire Stock of of St. Johnsbury Academy of St. Johns- | Vt., has been elected president of STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C | i MONDAY. New School Head THEODORE H. WILSON, President of the Chevy Chase School and Junior College. —Harris & Ewing Photo. WEALTHY FARMER HANGS IN HAY LOFT S. H. Spitler, With Fancied Financial Worries, Takes Life Near Luray. Bpecial Dispatch to The Star. LURAY, Va., July 14—S. H. Spitler, a prominent_farmer and former man- ager of the Page County Mutual Tele- Fhone Co., committed suicide by hang- ng himself in his garage at his home, 4 miles south of Luray, yesterday. ‘Worry over many farm problems, his friends say, caused the wealthy farmer to take his life. Being owner of thou- sands of acres in the Blue Ridge of this county, which he believed soon would be taken over as one of the units of the Shenandoah National Park, his belief that the major part of his crops had already been destroyed by the most disastrous drought ever known in this county and recent heavy loss to his wheat crop by fire brought the culmi- nation of his fancied troubles, his friends declare. Mr. Spitler, who was about 70 years of age, lived with his wifé and only child, Bernard Spitler, on their farm in the Hawksbill Valley. Mr. Spitler'arose early in the morning, climbed int. the topmost part of his barn, perched him- self on the hay, tied a rope around his neck with one end and the other end tied to a hay carrier overhead. From this place he took his leap Into space. His neck was broken by the fall. His body was found by his son. ‘Though still warm when physicians ar- rived, life was extinct. He was one of the wealthiest farmers in-Page County. The Spitler farm is considered the ideal of all agricultural plantations in the Hawksbill Valley. Mr. Spitler recently resigned as man- ager of the Page County Farmers' Mu- tual Telephone Co. While at its head the telephone company was placed on a solid financial foundation. Rich Girl to Make Debut. NEWPORT, R. I, July 14 (#).— Doris Duke, one of the wealthiest girls, will make her debut at her villa, Rough Point, August 23, as the final society event of tennis week, the apex of the season. JULY 14 own story of the record climbd.) back of the coast, as I be present. the range desired. Battles Sleepiness. possible to be able to do the | mark, Here I began taking it regu- |larly, as it had become very hard for | me o breathe and I noticed a sleepi- ness creeping over me. Past 20,000 feet, T no idea of the exact altitudes as my altimeter did not Tegister accurately at all past this height. It was a constant battle with the engine, jockeying the altitude ad- Justment continually to get and hold the maximum revolutions minute of the motor. I want to say here that this engine is nothing less than a mechanical triumph. It worked faithfully for me where most engines would have failed without the aid of a supercharger. It must have been near the top. I had =& splitting headache. And I wondered if I were taking too much oxygen. I cut it off a little and at once knew that was not the trouble, for I began . gasping for air in only a few moments, and as soon as I turned the valve on again T felt better. My head cleared up a little and I began the last battle. I found that, headed in one di- rection I could gain a little, ever so little, but some, and in any other direc- tion I could barely hold by own, My ship would stall if I pulled the nose more than just slightly above the horizon. My feet pained me. And I apparently had no feeling in them, they were 50 cold. My actions were slow and difficult; it was hard to move. The temperature was below the zero mark. The engine had begun to labor and to vibrate, but I was still holding 1,600 revolutions per minutes and not willing to give up yet. My watch told 'PERSPIRATION STAINS VANISH The new discovery—Annette's Per- |fect Cleanser swiftly removes per- spiration, grease, all food, fruit and beverage stains. It's & Powder—not | a liquid. Leaves no odor, does not {effect_color—Cannot Leave a Ring. At Dep’t and Drug Stores 50c. Pro sample. Write Annette's, Boston, Mass. AV rtisement. } The Catskills, the Adirond: the Ozarks, tha‘“;ockl.-. the Sl-ru—cflw are reached by bus. SWATERTO BUFFALO 7 CHIC. . *Reduced Transcontinental 'Par How It Feels 5 Miles Up Ruth Alexander Tells Own Story of Battling Sleepiness, Cold and Plane Engine in Altitude Flight. (Ruth Alexander, who soared 26.600 feet above the earth in her air- plane at San Diego on July 11 and established a new world altitude record Jor women fiyers, writes for the North American Newspaper Alliance her BY RUTH ALEXANDER. SAN DIEGO, Calif., July 14—Twenty-six thousand feet and more is a long way up, Especially is it a long way up when the ship is small and open and when there is a haze over the earth that almost obscures it from view. My equipment for this flight was a small, low-winged monoplane of unusual design, fitted with a new Warner Scarab, jr., en- gine, one small tank of oxygen, a Russell para- chute, heavy clothing and that was all. Taking off at 1:30 p.m., I spiraled up in a steep climb and headed at once for the flat country just knew I would | dense air of the ocean and yet be able to take | advantage of any convection currents that might find ‘the My engine was a straight stock model, with no special adjustments of any kind for this particu- lar work and it was at 10,000 feet that I began making the minor changes in my gasoline mixture that would hold up the revolutions per minute to On my two previous altitude flights I had learned an important lesson. The pilot must con serve strength in the lower altitudes as much as (. best work in the high- B¢ ler and thinner atmospheric conditions, for up | there one needs to have every faculty at its best | With this in mind I began taking oxygen very [, sparingly at about 16,000 feet and used it a little |at a tme until I began nearing the 19,000-foot Ruth me that I still had about a half-hour's gns supply. Lands Tired, but Happy. Then the next I knew I was in a gentle left-hand bank, the throttle half cut and I was about 4,000 or 5,000 feet lower than I had been. And I was fighting for alr. I gasping and my head was groggy and my chest hurt. It was a few minutes until I realized that I had probably been out for a short time. I felt terrible. ‘I came on down quickly then, till I reached about 7,000 feet. There I flew for a long time before 1 felt sure enough of myself to at- tempt a landing. When I finally did reach the ground 1 was tired, very tired, but I was happy, Many people ask me what I think of altitude flying now. My answer fis, that I would like to equip my little ship with a larger gas tank, I would like to have a supercharged on my engine and I would like to take the little ship as high as she would go. It seems unfair to me that I should take oxygen in a tank for myself and yet expect my engine to work and to struggle on up, battling away, with only the very rare air that is found at those altitudes. (Copyright, 1030, by North American Ne paper” Alliance.) Alexander. 'RAID HOME OF MAN l RESEMBLING BURKE Michigan Police Vainly Seek Killer in Connection With Thomas Bonner Murder. By the Associated Pre | CHICAGO, July 14.sFred Burke will-o-the wisp Cmrunffl;r . was not at the Summer home hear Newaygo, Mich.. which police squads raided early yesterday, John Norton, chief of de- tectives, announced today. Norton, after questioning William A. Smith, reported host to Burke, sald he was satified that Smith hed been iden- | tified by the police infofmant as Burke | because of his resemblance to ‘the killer. Informed that Burke had been hidden near the Summer resort town, picked squads of heavily armed Chicago detec- tives, supported by Michigan police, swept into the lake region and arrested Smith, at whose house Burke was said | to have been. They reported they had | missed Burke by half an hour. The raid was made in_connection with the slaying here Thursday of Thomas Bonner, a petty racketeer, who the police believe, was slain to prevent his divulging the hideout of the gang- ster. Mrs, Bonner, police said, fur- nished them with the number of the automobile license of the car in which the killers escaped. A car bearing this uc;dnse plate was seized in the Michigan | raid. Hoover Colleague Dies. MEMPHIS, Tenn, July 14 (#).— James M. Johnson, 65, member of the | Southern States Republican League Ex- | ecutive Committee, past president of the | Mississippt Traveiers Association, and long active in Republican politics here, died here today of appendicitis. He was a member of the Hoover Flood Com- mission in Mississippl when the then | Secretary of Commerce toured the 1927 | flood area. Fifty-five countries had exhibits at the last international fair at Prague, Czechoslovakia. News From E. R, Rochester's Special Train Party. ago. T Well, in Party, largest _exelu 22nd. For_details, address my office. R, ROCHESTER, 910 District National Bank Building, Washington, D. C. Starting this morning. . .weof- fer an unrestrict- ed choice of . , . Kuppenheimer & Grosner Tropical Worsted SUIT In the House \ mn e e Two Reduced Groups Group One. 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